Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Monday announced a holiday on Monday over the passing of noted playwright, actor and author Girish Karnad.
"It will be a holiday today for one day for all government offices, schools and colleges due to the sudden demise of Jnanpith awardee Girish Karnad. He will be cremated with state honours and there will be three days of mourning. It is also clarified that this is in accordance with the steps taken by the government when Jnanpith award winners have previously passed away", a statement from the CM office said.
Schools will individually decide on whether they will be declaring a holiday for the rest of the day.
Earlier on Monday, it was confirmed that the 81-year-old had passed away at his residence in Bengaluru. His cremation will be held at Baiyappanahalli crematorium in East Bengaluru later in the day.
Girish Karnad is one of Kannada literature's foremost playwrights. Following the news of his death, condolences poured in from across the country including from Prime Minister Narendra Modi
He has written numerous plays and has also acted in a number of Kannada and Hindi films. He was conferred the Padma Shri award in 1974 and the Padma Bhushan in 1992 by the Indian government. He was awarded the Jnanpith award in 1999, the highest literary prize in India for his contribution to literature and arts.